MONROE, CT — Capital Spirits, which began with two stores in Hartford, added a third location at 575 Monroe Turnpike this year. It is owned and operated by Prianca Chellani and Rishi Sachdeva.
The building used to house 574 Wines, with its spacious aisles and beer cave.
“We doubled the beer cave,” Ankit Chellani, Prianca’s husband, said during a grand opening celebration Friday afternoon. “We added a lot of new products. It’s a great location.”
Capital Spirits built a new tasting bar in front of the store, where customers can sample a rotating lineup of beer and spirits.
“We have one of the biggest wine, bourbon and beer selections in town,” Sachdeva said, “and that gives us the option to offer better deals and prices, especially with inflation. It’s important to keep prices down, and I think that’s something the public appreciates.”
Among the renovations to the store were a new floor, ceilings and additional LED lighting, according to Monroe Chamber of Commerce President Ray Giovanni.
While the name and ownership of the store has changed, patrons of 574 Wines can still see some familiar faces among the Capital Spirits’ staff, including Matthew O’Neill and Ioannis Makris.
“I was very young when 574 Wines opened up and it was a good learning experience for me,” O’Neill said. “I feel I know the customers on a personal level and that makes coming to work easier.”
“They’re all great employees,” Ankit Chellani said. “There’s no reason to change something that’s working. We’re all about giving our customers a positive shopping experience and keeping everything clean, organized and bright.”
“I think it’s a great location,” Sachdeva said. “I think it’s a good community. A lot of people grew up in this town. We have great customers.”
Sachdeva said Capital Spirits will be involved in the community by supporting local organizations. To that end, O’Neill said the liquor store served as a sponsor for the Monroe Lions youth football program’s first annual golf tournament.
Among the local dignitaries participating in a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday were First Selectman Terry Rooney, Giovanni, Chamber of Commerce Vice President Jan Snyder and several Monroe Chamber of Commerce and Monroe Economic Development Commission members.
“On behalf of the town of Monroe, as we do with all businesses, welcome,” Rooney said after the ribbon was cut. “Thank you for investing in Monroe.”
“I just want to make this very clear to our citizens that this is a transfer of a liquor license,” the first selectman said. “This is not a new liquor store. This is a preexisting liquor store. The state of Connecticut limits the number of liquor stores in Monroe and any town.”
“However, we are very happy to see the new owners take this over and we wish you a large amount of success,” Rooney said. “You gotta come visit. It’s very beautiful inside. They did a great job with a lot of new, creative ideas.
“You bring good spirits to our town and we will reciprocate accordingly,” Giovanni said, praising the new owners for their investment and renovation of the store. “Congratulations.”
Capital Spirits is open Mondays from 8 a.m to 8:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 9 a.m to 9 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For information, follow Capital Spirits on Instagram and Facebook.
All respectful comments with the commenter’s first and last name are welcome.
